Life Is But A Dream
by storyless
Summary: A brief scene between Jecht and Tidus' mother in Zanarkand that implies so much more.


All FFX characters belong to Square-Enix.

The Fayth felt a stir in its slumber as a dry and shivering wind swept through the mountain ridge. It carried with it a woman's voice, distant and disembodied as an echo across the Calm Lands gorge. "It may take a thousand years, but we shall be revenged…"

---

Astrid wished he was looking at her. She always wished he was looking at her, especially when he wasn't. He could always be looking at her more. She would get these pulp periodicals at the market, magazines with titles like "Modern Love Mage" and "Pink Potions for Passion". She knew, somewhere in her rational mind, that magic couldn't be used like that. But she still mixed the recipes and chanted the chants. It relaxed her, but it was no real magic. She knew that. Magic could impress and oppress and confuse and injure and even heal, but it couldn't give you love. Of course, she knew Jecht loved her. She was his wife and they had a family and that proved their love, right? But he could always love her more. She wanted their hearts and eyes and minds to press together, to merge to the point that there would be no more bickering and no more words. She wanted to live inside of him.

Astrid wished he was looking at her. He would be impressed with how much nog she was putting into her cocktail. He liked to brag about his drinking binges and how much he could take before he passed out or vomited. So she was putting a lot in her own drink, more than she even really liked and he would be proud of her if he would just…! Look at her.

"Astrid?"

She stole a furtive sip of Jecht's drink and decided she'd mixed it well. He'd be proud of her. She brought the two mugs, one in each hand, and took her place next to him on the divan. She crossed her legs and pointed her toes because they looked prettier that way. "Yes?"

"Y'ever think 'bout the boy's future?" A slight inclination of his head indicated Tidus's room.

Of course she thought about it. All the time. She loved Tidus, and she wanted him to have a good, normal life. But! Well…she felt guilty when she thought of it, you can be sure of that, but you couldn't help your thoughts, right? Yes, she thought about his future. Eleven more years of it before he'd be an adult. One decade and one year and a few odd months. They haunted her. She missed being alone with Jecht. It sounded selfish and made her feel bad, but she couldn't help but wonder if they'd been too young when they decided to have Tidus. She'd always heard children bring couples together and strengthens the bonds of love. Maybe she was doing something wrong with the kid, but the opposite seemed to be true. Tidus was always pulling her away. She couldn't even sit through an entire bliztball match without him fussing about being hungry or tired. And when he didn't get his way, he cried. Oh, did she hate to hear that nasally little cry. Especially in public. Being the wife of the Zanarkand Abes star forward Jecht, whenever the boy would start to sniffle in public, the next day she'd be the the worst mother ever to shame the tabloid headlines. She hated that. But she was his mother and she loved him. "Of course I think about his future." She smiled and fixed on Jecht's eyes.

"It's just... Ah, probably all dads feel this way, but I can't help but think the boy's got something real special 'bout him, yanno?"

"Of course he's special, he's your son, Jecht."

Jecht acknowledged the ego stroke with an appreciative grunt. "Maybe I've just had too much tonight. You think I've had too much, Astrid?" He grinned big. It was a real smile, a smile that invited you in and pulled the chair out for you. He was a scruffy, boyish sort of handsome with a face that put him on the bedroom walls of teen girls all over Zanarkand and the sort of athleticism that sold trading cards and novelty blitzballs to their little brothers. She liked being his wife.

"I don't think you've had enough 'til you think you've had enough, Jecht." She giggled in the same way she giggled the night they'd met, nine years ago, when Jecht was barely just a rookie and she was just a pretty fan that waited for hours outside for the cute tattooed midfielder. He liked being her husband.

"Well, I think I'm feeling pretty good right about now." He set his empty mug on the low table at their knees and pressed his head into the space between her chin and shoulder. "Just don't tell the boy what I said, ok? The kid hates me and a little hate is good for a boy his age. Makes 'em tough. Besides, I'd rather see him throw a fist at me than one of his little crying tantrums any day."

She ran a hand through his hair. It was beautiful hair. Maybe Tidus would have hair like that someday. "He'll get over it, eventually." Jecht closed his eyes, a half smile still on his lips. Astrid guessed that meant he liked her drink. "Sometimes," She cooed, "Life is like a dream with you."

He murmured his response as he pivoted his head to plant a kiss on her neck. "Then let's never wake up."


End file.
